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E63 / E64 6 Series (2004 - 2010) The E63/E64 BMW 6 Series builds on BMW's sporty heritage with aggressive lines and an incredible motor to back the design up. Available in coupe and convertible trims with a standard 4.8 liter engine producing 360 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque, the 6-series is a popular choice that exceeds expectations.

I'm looking at a '08 650 vert for my wife. I have some questions about it for current owners.

1. We are looking at an 08 with a manual transmission. Any thoughts from current owner on the manual? Pros / Cons? Both my wife and I prefer the a manual which might play in our favor as I would imagine most people want an automatic.

2. I'm leery of the iDrive computer. I've read mixed reviews. Thoughts from anyone on the dependability, ease of use, etc.. of the system?

3. Dependability. For vert owners any issues with operation of the top? We had a Saab vert which was undependable, complex and costly to fix. I take it this lift via hydraulics of some sort.

I'm looking at a '08 650 vert for my wife. I have some questions about it for current owners.

1. We are looking at an 08 with a manual transmission. Any thoughts from current owner on the manual? Pros / Cons? Both my wife and I prefer the a manual which might play in our favor as I would imagine most people want an automatic.

2. I'm leery of the iDrive computer. I've read mixed reviews. Thoughts from anyone on the dependability, ease of use, etc.. of the system?

3. Dependability. For vert owners any issues with operation of the top? We had a Saab vert which was undependable, complex and costly to fix. I take it this lift via hydraulics of some sort.

4. Any other tips on what to look for in a used 650?

Thanks!

1) I have a manual and love it. They are rare, but should go for less since most people in this class of car want a GT car. A manual combined with 360hp/360lb-ft is a blast.

2) The 2008 cars come with the updated iDrive (7 buttons surround the iDrive controller wheel) which makes iDrive much more intuitive and easy to navigate. It is a little daunting at first but you get used to it quickly. I think iDrive gets slammed in magazine reviews because journalists don't get enough seat-time with the cars to learn iDrive to the point where it becomes second nature.

3) The top is a problem area. It's not the mechanism/hydraulics that fail, but an overly-sensitive pair of sensors that can result in false "top not closed" errors. Seems to occur in ~ 25% of the cars. There is an easy temp fix (see post #120 in this thread for the boesman push)

4) Try to get a CPO extended warranty. If you want the car to handle flat in the corners get one with Dynamic Drive (Active Roll Stabilization) and the sport package. I would imagine anyone who ordered a manual would have those options as default.

Overall these are awesome cars. They practically defy physics considering how heavy they are and how well they handle. A great GT car that will almost keep up with an M3 on the track if you push it.

This car has everything you can ask for and drives like a dream! Baby likes to run and run fast. Garaged with all the upgrades on it including added mud guards, Alpine white with black softtop, creme beige pearl leather and black, burlwood interior, sport package, not a scratch on her. We bought on emotion and got caught in the thrill of dirving this amazing vehicle. It has a fully transferrable extended waranty for 6 years or 75000 additional mile from 8800 or 83,800 miles. She was worth over over $110K when we bought her. She has every upgrade you could possibly want on her and has never seen a bad weather day. We live in Texas. I will send pictures to you if you want to show you how incredible she is. Please call Beth & Tom at 972-985-6464 and my cell is 469-879-0123. Please call and let us know what additional information you would ike to receive?

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Last edited by careyon64; 05-23-2012 at 06:38 PM.
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Hello guys, I am new to the forum and this is my first post! I am interested in the 650 convertible, but due to the minor changes (such as the lighting and the shift knob, etc) I am only interested in the 08'-10' years. I have been doing alot of shopping around and i am seeing that the cars in my price range are in the mileage area of around 40 - 50 thousand miles. My question is, is that "a lot" of miles for these cars. I want it to feel smooth, crisp, and still snappy...i dont want to buy a car that feels really "used", if that makes sense. Any input is greatly appreciated.

A lot depends on how the miles were put on the car. If they were mostly done on the highway the car will still feel new. You will have to see and drive the cars in person to determine the condition.

I bought my car with 60K miles on it but I knew the previous owner (or my service advisor knew him) and they were mostly highway miles - my car feels super tight and runs like a champ. I've even taken it to the track a few times and I am very impressed with how well the 6er stands up against my M3 on the track.

A lot depends on how the miles were put on the car. If they were mostly done on the highway the car will still feel new. You will have to see and drive the cars in person to determine the condition.

I bought my car with 60K miles on it but I knew the previous owner (or my service advisor knew him) and they were mostly highway miles - my car feels super tight and runs like a champ. I've even taken it to the track a few times and I am very impressed with how well the 6er stands up against my M3 on the track.

Thanks alot yorgi! That's both helpful and encouraging! I'm going to test drive a 09' with 47k on it today after work, I'm excited because if all goes well I will be the owner of it today!! Is there any little things of specific things I should be looking for or looking at while inspecting/ drIving it??

Since I am a girl, well you know we aren't as savvy when it comes to cars as you guys. I am shopping for a 6 series and oh is it confusing. I would appreciate help. I don't need the most powerful so let's talk. What should I look for in the specs? I'm trading in my 2006 Porsche Carrera S for a 2010 or later 6. Any suggestions?

Since I am a girl, well you know we aren't as savvy when it comes to cars as you guys. I am shopping for a 6 series and oh is it confusing. I would appreciate help. I don't need the most powerful so let's talk. What should I look for in the specs? I'm trading in my 2006 Porsche Carrera S for a 2010 or later 6. Any suggestions?

You want the sport package and decide if you want a coupe or vert. But the car only comes with one engine, so no worries there. Most of your decisions are about options. I couldn't live without HUD (heads up display), comfort access is another good one (keyless starting and locking).

My first post. It's been a while but back in the day I have owned a 318I and 325E. I am now back in the market for a BMW. Test drove this car this past weekend and fell in love with it.

It's a 2007 with 32K miles, asking price of $34.9K. Carfax is clean with original warranty until end of the year.

Would appreciate your thoughts on the price. My only concern after reading the forum is the warranty. For budget purposes I need to keep the price in the $35k range and I suspect getting an extended warranty will push me above that.

I would buy it in a heart beat but having some reservation given warranty expiration.
Appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.

Anyone have any advice: just bought a 2009 650 convertible with 13,000 mls. One owner, clean record, mint condition. Drives like a dream and no problems....yet.

Warranty expires March 2013. Do i get an extended warranty? If the answer is yes, which one should i get?

I could afford an expensive repair once in a while but don't want to be dumping $$ in the car frequently. I am concerned that with the low miles, i may not really need the warranty for a long time but if i don't buy the warranty by a certain date after March, i cant get it or there will be some kind of limitations on it.

Hi all,
New member, as I have never owned a BMW (but am thinking of surprising my wife with a used 6 series convertible). She is NOT a car nut, but loves the look of one we saw recently. My budget puts me looking at a 2005-2006 645 or 650 convertible. The one I am looking at now is a 2005 645 white convertible with 50,000 miles on it. Assuming the condition of the exterior/interior are up to par, are there any gotchas/recalls/expensive_things expected for that model at that mileage? It's an automatic tranny, if that maakes any difference.
Any and all tips are appreciated!

I would look for an 06 if you can swing it. That model had a motor upgrade that seems to have less issues than the 645 (i.e. Coolant pipe). I've had my '07 for about a year a half with no issues. Either way you (and she) are in for a treat.

Thanks mulchman. After looking into the term "coolant pipe", this led me to some other threads on here which frankly scared me in regards to the kinds of fun I might expect when it comes to repairs. Never having owned or really even looked at BMWs to buy before now, admittedly I am behind the curve. I figured the maintenance might be more than other cars....but that the reliability of the German made machines would be comparable to other makes we have owned (Honda, Mazda, etc). From looking at some of the potential gotchas (coolant pipe, gaskets, plastic pan cracks), it sounds like I'd be setting myself up for a lot of $$ outside of the normal car payments/insurance. We're not broke, but also not loaded to where we can constantly pay for unscheduled repairs, either.
One thing that's a bit confusing to me is that when looking at reliability figures on a site like Edmunds, the cars seem to get really high marks. Maybe this is simply a matter of the threads on "gotchas" with 6 series being very thorough to include any problems that you "might" see, and not will LIKELY see, but would welcome any thoughts on that as well.
I just know that if buying something for my wife, she would not welcome repeated problems from a car (no matter how nice it is when it's working properly), especially since she is usd to a vehicle where it has proven to be problem free.
Thanks again for the input!

i have a 2005 645 convertible and love it. only has 21,500 miles. third BMW and best ride ever. Left mercedes for good. also have a 2006 x5. If only United BMW in Roswell was a better dealership for service and had a real sales manager who knew the business I would have a third one. Price should be around 32 to 35k for the years you are looking at.

Hi guys, I'm looking at two similar CPO'ed 08's, both with around 38k miles, but not from BMW dealers. One of them has had, per the carfax, regular maintenance, and notably a battery replacement at around 29k miles. The other one's maintenance history is very sparse, seemingly had nothing done with it and just got sold as a CPO vehicle. I'm leaning towards the latter, particularly because it has about 8 months more of warranty left than the other, but should I be concerned that I'd shortly have to deal with the battery issues that plague so many of them myself? Or should I take it as a sign that it was likely well behaved and well taken care of?

Hi guys, I'm looking at two similar CPO'ed 08's, both with around 38k miles, but not from BMW dealers. One of them has had, per the carfax, regular maintenance, and notably a battery replacement at around 29k miles. The other one's maintenance history is very sparse, seemingly had nothing done with it and just got sold as a CPO vehicle. I'm leaning towards the latter, particularly because it has about 8 months more of warranty left than the other, but should I be concerned that I'd shortly have to deal with the battery issues that plague so many of them myself? Or should I take it as a sign that it was likely well behaved and well taken care of?

A battery with an expense of $400 to $550 doesn't seem like that big of a deciding factor. The extra warranty period would provide some peace of mind and might be worth something if a covered repair popped up. If you have the VIN numbers and a friendly service advisor at your local BMW service dept., then you should be able to at least get a list of the BMW service(s) that were done while still under the 4yr/50K service coverage on both cars.